


The Maiden's Request

by WriterGreg



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M, Fairy Tale Retellings, Fantasy, Fractured Fairy Tale, Inspired by Grimm Fairy Tales, Original Fiction, Short Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:21:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 4,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25942012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WriterGreg/pseuds/WriterGreg
Summary: Master horseman, Henrik of Rickenvatten, finds himself in the foreign imperial palace of Chienhu. A stranger in a strange land. His skills brought him under the scrutiny of the Grand Secretary and the admiration of Princess Jing. His only hope is to keep his fugitive past hidden while trying to break the curse plaguing his future. If the Emperor discovers the truth it could mean his life. If the Princess discovers the truth it could mean his heart.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by ["THE FROG-PRINCE" from "Grimms' Fairy Tales by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm"](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/668245) by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm. 



Henrik adjusted the silken robes sticking to his lanky frame. He hated the elaborately decorated silks he was forced to wear in the imperial palace of Chienhu. The wools and leathers of his native Rikenvatten would have been more comfortable, were it not for the oppressive heat and humidity of this foreign country. Servants walking in the hallway bowed to him as protocol required. He tried to ignore the strange looks and suppressed whispers as he passed. He thought after a couple of months the novelty of a Rikenvatten in Chienhu would have decreased. A crash down the hall caused all heads to turn. A young maid in soiled robes desperately collected the now-empty bowls and food rolling away from her silver tray. Above her, Grand Secretary Li yelled about her clumsy nature.

This was not the first time Henrik had seen the Grand Secretary lash out at servants when there were problems. The louder his shouts, the more likely it was his fault. By his overreaction, it was more likely his failing eyesight that led to the accident and not the maid.

Henrik quickly stepped into a smaller side hallway to escape. Pressed against the red wall behind one of the large golden pillars, Henrik watched the Grand Secretary shuffle past, brushing crumbs off his sleeves. Henrik avoided the Grand Secretary as much as possible. The Grand Secretary’s distrust of foreigners was well known—and Henrik struggled to hide his disdain towards him.

“Hiding from the Grand Secretary again, Henrik?”

Henrik turned to find the princess sitting on a padded bench, playing with two golden meditation balls in her hand. His heart skipped a beat at her warm smile. He quickly bowed to hide the color rushing to his cheeks. “Good morning, Princess Jing.”

She leaned forward and whispered, “I don’t blame you. I try to avoid the old dragon whenever I can as well.”

“I apologize, Princess, I meant no disrespect to the Grand Secretary.”

“He enjoys finding reasons to complain where none exist. Anything new needs extra scrutiny. You and your horses are as new as they come. He prefers to be carried in his litter, no matter how slow his porters are.”

She paused, and Henrik looked up. Once they locked eyes, she continued, “I’m glad that Father likes new things. I have him to thank for our meeting.”

Henrik bowed again. “I’m honored by your words, Princess.”

“Please, I’ve told you to call me Jing when my father is not around.”

Henrik’s heart gave another leap. “I don’t know if that would be appropriate, Princess.” It was Henrik’s turn to lean in and whisper. She leaned forward to accept it. “The walls have ears.”

Princess Jing laughed and stood. “And that’s why I’m going out to the pagoda by the lake. Would you care to escort me?”

“I wish I could, Princess. I am to prepare the horses and carriage to collect Lady Nevena for tonight’s banquet.”

She clasped her hands with excitement. “How wonderful! Do you know why she is coming?”

“I do not. A member of the Fairy Council may request anything of any royal across the realms without explanation.”

Jing pulled on her long black hair flowing down the front of her white and gold silk robes. “It is wonderful when she comes but her aura wreaks havoc on my hair.”

“Your hair has always looks nice.” Henrik fumbled the words while studying the patterns stitched on his shoes.

Jing smiled as she tilted her face to keep viewing Henrik’s. “Have you met other fairies? Maybe some from Rikenvatten?”

The smile left Henrik’s face. “Yes, I’ve met my share of fairies. More than I care to remember.”

Princess Jing tilted her head. “I would love to hear that story, if you would like to share it.”

“Maybe another time, Princess.”


	2. Chapter 2

Henrik held the lead horse’s bridle after securing the last of the equipment attaching them to the carriage. Everything was ready for its departure. He brushed the hair of the lead horse to pass the time. His mind wandered to Jing’s perfect hair.

Jing was often on his mind. She alone did not treat him as foreign trash who was disrupting honored traditions with these horses. Many in Chienhu had never seen a horse before, but Jing, like her father the emperor, was excited about the benefits horses could bring to their empire. Henrik was grateful that the people of Rikenvatten had a reputation of excellent horsemanship. It made his rapid accession in the ranks of servants smooth, but there were many who resented a foreigner given so much honor and respect.

After weeks of watching the emperor and crown prince receive riding lessons from afar, Jing came close enough to ask questions about the horses. The princess confessed she thought he and the horses were oddities. Henrik was quickly smitten with her beauty. Her raven-colored hair was common in Chienhu but rarely seen in Rikenvatten.

Henrik’s thoughts were shattered when Jing appeared, fleeing from the bamboo forest, clutching her hands to her chest and running as fast as her silk slippers could carry her. Their eyes met, and Henrik saw the terror within. She stopped as if to take a step toward Henrik but then continued her panicked flight to the palace.

“Oh, no,” Henrik whispered. He had a feeling he knew what scared Jing but hoped he was wrong.


	3. Chapter 3

Henrik could not leave his position with the horses until the carriage left to collect Lady Nevena. He watched the palace closely for any sign of what had happened to Jing. After what felt like an empty eternity, the carriage left, and Henrik hurried along the path through the bamboo forest.

The path led to a small pagoda on the edge of a beautiful koi pond. The shade of the pagoda softened the heat as Henrik crossed underneath it. It had been built as a retreat from the summer sun, but the pagoda’s true shelter was from the bustle of palace activity. It was easy to understand why Jing chose to spend so much time here.

Henrik approached the edge of the pond on the far side of the pagoda. A few feet away, a large flat rock barely broke through the water. He sighed as he ran his fingers through his light-yellow hair. Once he made sure he was alone, he carefully called out, “Frederik?”

A large ugly toad broke through the surface and landed on the rock. Water slowly drained off its wart-covered brown skin.

“The princess ran out of the forest terrified.” Henrik sat down on a bench staring at the toad. “Would you care to share anything?”

The toad’s small raspy voice scratched through the heat. “I saw an opportunity to break my curse. I was so close to getting us back home.”

“That doesn’t tell me what happened.”

“The princess had some noisy balls and was trying to juggle them. They kept dropping and eventually one fell in. I only asked if I could retrieve it for her.”

Henrik leaned forward, elbows on knees. “You actually talked to her? Oh, I’m sure that went over fantastically.”

“Well, no,” Frederik admitted. “She screamed.”

Henrik sat up. “Of course, she screamed. She is terrified of the Cursed. Her father has filled her with horror stories about creatures like you. One word and she’d know exactly what you are.”

“I’m tired of waiting in this sad insect-ridden excuse of a pond. Scaring her is better than doing nothing.” Frederik stretched out his tiny legs and mumbled. “I had to try something.”

“You’ve exposed yourself as Cursed to a member of the royal family. The emperor hates the Cursed. He’ll send soldiers to hunt you down.”

“I don’t think she’s going to tell anyone about me. If she does, she’ll have to tell them about her promise.”

“What promise?” Henrik slowly asked.

“I said I would get the ball for her if she promised to have me as a companion and friend in the palace, let me sit with her at the dining table, eat from her plate. . . .”

“Are you crazy? Do you really think the princess is going to bring one of the Cursed into the palace as a dinner companion? You’d be lucky if the chef doesn’t make you for dinner. What in the name of the fairies possessed you to bargain with her?”

“Since scaring her didn’t work, I was hoping my request would make her angry enough.”

“Obviously it didn’t.”

“True, but she agreed. She said the ball was precious to her, and she promised me everything I said and more. I figured that when I’m in the palace I could get her really angry and then—POOF—I’m human!”

“She was probably too scared talking with one of the Cursed to think straight.” Henrik said mostly to himself.

“Well it doesn’t matter now. After I retrieved the ball, she snatched it, and ran away. I would have followed her, but I worried a crane—or worse, the palace children—would snatch me up before I got to her.”

Henrik’s mind spun with the complications this made in the plans to free his brother.  
Frederik’s croak broke the silence. “What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. I’ll check on Jing and see if she’s told anyone.”

“Oh, is she Jing now? When did this development occur?” The toad’s croak took the teasing tone Frederik’s had before the Curse. Henrik was glad to hear it but was not going to respond to the inquiry.

“You stay put while I survey the damage.”

“I won’t go anywhere.” The teasing tone was replaced by something much more bitter. “Just don’t forget about me while you enjoy yourself at the palace.” The toad disappeared under the water before Henrik could respond.


	4. Chapter 4

After he had bathed the smell of horses away and was again wearing his uncomfortable silk robes, he started wandering the halls hoping to run into Jing. A nervous excitement in the servants allowed him to pass by without the normal stares. He presumed it was due to Lady Nevena’s arrival. Finally, there was someone in the palace more foreign than he.

Of course, the banquet! Henrik quickened his pace until he reached the open doors to the hall. Servants lined the red walls as the royal family ate at the large circular table in the middle. Henrik slid next to one of the golden support columns for a better view. He hoped to remain hidden and wait for an opportunity to talk with Jing when she left.

Lady Nevena, the Fairy Council member who oversaw Chienhu, sat between the Emperor and Empress, the highest honor bestowed to a guest. She could have passed for a beautiful dignitary in a simple blue silk robe, were it not for the soft but visible glow from her personage. The only symbol of her Fairy Council position was the simple silver diadem encrusted with aquamarine gems that rested on her head.

The crown prince was next to his father. Jing was next to her mother, looking unsettled as she swished her utensils through her soup. Henrik wondered how much her promise to Frederik ruined her meal.

Jing looked up to find Henrik behind the servants. She tilted her head in an unasked question. Henrik had never been in the banquet hall while the royal family dined, and he guessed she was a little surprised. A small smile crossed her lips, but the concern did not leave her eyes.

Grand Secretary Li entered the hall and approached the aged emperor, failing to keep his hurried pace composed. He gently tapped the emperor’s shoulder and quietly relayed a message into his ear.

The emperor whispered intensely, “A what?” The emperor’s eyes darted to Jing, who avoided his gaze by sinking lower into her chair. The emperor stiffened into an angry resolve. He nodded, and the Grand Secretary motioned to a servant, who swung the door open. There on the threshold was the visitor, a large brown toad.

By this time, the whole hall had fallen silent. The only noise in the room came from the toad’s approach to the circular table. The tension rose as the emperor stood.

“Stop.” The emperor raised his hand. “Are you Kith or Cursed?”

“Sire, with great humility, I am one of the Cursed.” A murmur spread through the hall. The toad strained to keep his voice heard. “I assure you, gracious Emperor, I am innocent and mean you neither harm nor disrespect—”

“Your assurances mean nothing. All Cursed claim to be innocent.” The emperor’s sharp response dripped with hatred. His response dropped to an intense whisper. “What do you want, toad?”

Henrik’s muscles tensed. His brother may have caused the required royal anger, but he feared he may not survive long enough for the curse to be broken.

“Your Majesty, I come to collect on a promise from your daughter.”

All eyes of the chamber swung to Jing, who ferociously explored her wensi tofu soup.

The emperor turned his head back to the toad. “Explain.”

“Earlier today, your gentle daughter was juggling her golden meditation balls at the pagoda in the bamboo forest. One ball fell into the pond, and I retrieved it for her.”

“And what did she promise you?”

“She promised that I would be her constant companion.”

The emperor turned to the princess. “Is that so?”

Jing’s flushed face was near tears as she nodded. The face of the emperor became redder, the silk fan of the empress waved faster, and Jing tried harder to disappear in her chair. Again, Henrik expected to see his brother transform at any moment.

Nothing happened.

The emperor turned to the Lady Nevena. “My Lady, I would appreciate your counsel in this matter. Is this Cursed to be trusted or executed?”

Nevena’s fingers traced small, intricate patterns in the air close to her lap. Soon, the fairy stopped and smiled. “Your Majesty, the toad you see before you was once an honorable man. A moment of gallantry against those of ill intent caused him to be cursed. He can be trusted.”

“Thank you, my Lady.” The emperor turned his attention back to Frederik. “You shall become my daughter’s companion.” Jing let out an involuntary squeal in protest. The emperor tensed as he continued, “You may enter the palace, but you are not, under any circumstances, to enter her chambers.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.” The toad shifted toward the fairy. “Thank you, my Lady. Your benevolence is greatly appreciated.”

Lady Nevena nodded.

The emperor swept his hand from Jing to the toad. “Well?”

“Father, no!”

“He helped you in your time of need. You are duty bound to do as you promised.”

“But, Father!” He raised his hand to silence her. Jing’s eyes swept across the hall, desperately searching for help. “Father, may I request a servant to help care for my new companion?”

The emperor thought for a moment. “You may. Who?”

“Henrik, the horse master.”


	5. Chapter 5

The old lotus seat cushion Henrik carried down the palace hallway provided little padding. It was difficult to see the warty toad resting on its dusty brown surface. No one could have found a more insulting vessel to carry the newest royal companion, and Henrik was sure the emperor tried.

The princess and her attendant slowly walked in front of Henrik. Jing stopped at a bench and sat. “Please go and prepare my chambers for the night and wait for me there.”

The attendant bowed and left them alone. Jing put her face in her hands and let out a groan of frustration. “Henrik, what am I supposed to do?”

“Princess, I—”

Her face shot up out of her hands, and she yelled, “I forbid you from calling me Princess ever again!” The flash of anger was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by a resigned sadness. It hung between them like a heavy curtain. After a moment, she gently patted the open space next to her.

“Please sit with me.”

Henrik sat, subtly turning the cushion and the toad away from her view. No matter how he turned the cushion, the toad shifted to look at the princess.

“My father is furious with the shame I’ve brought to the palace. That”—pointing at the toad—“is the first Cursed to enter the palace since my father banished the previous Grand Secretary for treachery. He loved him as a son and trusted him like a brother. When the betrayal was discovered, Lady Nevena cursed him to be a golden tree snake, fast enough to flee, but too weak to harm humans.” Jing leaned her head back against the wall. “I was young at the time, but I still remember my father’s hurt and anger. I never wanted to be the cause of something like that. And that is what I have done tonight.”

Her eyes filled with tears as they sat together in extended silence. She reached out and gently took Henrik’s hand. She smiled as they looked at each other. “Thanks for listening.”

The toad said, “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“You want to help?” Jing leaped from the bench as her tears returned. “Leave! Leave this palace and never look at me again!”


	6. Chapter 6

Henrik and his brother barely spoke after entering the servants’ buildings. He placed the cushion on the floor of his room and went straight to bed without changing. Visions of Jing running and crying haunted Henrik’s attempt to sleep. The desire to fix the harm Frederik’s actions caused kept him awake. Guilt mixed into his thoughts because he thought more of Jing than his cursed brother.

Henrik rolled over to check on the toad. The cushion was empty. He shot out of bed and walked quickly toward the palace, searching, and hoping he wouldn’t attract a patrolling guard’s attention. Henrik neared Jing’s chambers when a woman’s scream startled him.

“Jing!” Henrik rushed to open the door to the chamber. In the dim light from torches outside the window, he only saw the closed drapes of Jing’s canopy bed.

“You foul creature!”

The toad came flying out from behind the drapes. Henrik ducked and heard a loud thud on the wall behind him, followed by a much larger crash on the floor.

The attendant rushed to the bed and opened the silken bed curtains. She sat and spoke calming words at the princess’s side. “My lady, are you all right? What happened?” Fury coursed through Jing’s eyes as she pointed to where she threw the toad.

Henrik heard shouts from soldiers running along the halls. He turned to see a broad-shouldered man groaning and stirring in the corner. The man’s arms and legs fumbled as if he had forgotten how to use them. Henrik grabbed a discarded robe and covered him. “Frederik, you idiot!” Henrik pulled

Frederik to his feet. “We need to get out of here, now!”

Jing screamed again. “Frederik? Who’s Frederik?”

“Jing, this is my older brother.”

The anger on her face shifted to a confused panic as her glare shifted between both men. She whispered to Henrik. “You can’t be found here!”

“I did it, Henrik. I broke the curse. We can go home!”

Soldiers burst through the chamber doors. The two men did not resist as they were forced to the ground and tied with ropes.


	7. Chapter 7

Henrik and Frederik stood in the middle of the royal court, waiting for the emperor. They were surrounded by palace guards, and their ropes had been replaced with iron shackles and chains.

“You look pretty good, all things considering,” Henrik said. “But I still think you are an idiot.”

Frederik chuckled as he rolled his shoulders but then winced. “It hurt more to transform this time.”

“That was probably the impact with the wall.”

Frederik looked down. “Couldn’t you have grabbed a man’s robe?”

Indistinct yelling could be heard from the hall outside the room. The doors behind them slammed open, and the emperor stormed to the throne. “Are these the foul scum?” he bellowed.

The empress and Jing entered the hall and came alongside the wall. Jing’s eyes were red. She looked like she had run out of tears. The empress gently held her shoulders as they stayed in the far corner.

The emperor paced back and forth in a rage. He sized up Frederik and had a new look of hatred for Henrik. Finally, he broke his furious silence. “How dare you enter into my daughter’s chambers! You will both be executed for your crimes against the crown.”

Lady Nevena entered the hall. Her blue robes glowed brighter in the hall as the servants were still rushing to light candles around the room. “Dear Emperor, I believe you should hear them before you continue.” Her demeanor was calm, but there was radiant authority behind her statement. It was not a request.

“Hear them? They will be executed! Traitorous thieves who were caught with my daughter!”

“I snuck into the palace,” said Frederik. “He tried to stop me.”

Henrik shushed him.

The emperor’s face leaped between the brothers, his family, and the fairy. After a moment of swirling glances, he let out a quick huff and turned to sit on his throne. He motioned for all to take chairs along the wall. The empress and princess took their places in the smaller thrones at his side.

“I will hear you, as requested by Lady Nevena.”

Frederik stepped forward, and the guards drew their swords to keep him in his place.

“Most honorable Emperor, my name is Frederik. I am the son of King Ulrik and Queen Caroline, Crown Prince of Rikenvatten.” He swung his shackled hands to his right. “This is Prince Henrik of Rikenvatten, my younger brother.”


	8. Chapter 8

The shock of this proclamation spread to all who were in the room. Lady Nevena smiled and said, “Emperor, these men speak the truth and are men of honor, as I stated before.”

“Honorable men are not caught in my daughter’s chambers!” yelled the emperor. A stern look from Lady Nevena and an increase in the glow of her aura forced him to compose himself. “Explain,” he growled at Prince Frederik.

“Your Excellency and court of Chienhu, last year my brother and I were traveling through our kingdom and came upon a gang of thieves stealing from a royal outpost. As I led the charge against them, I was transformed into a toad by an evil fae in their number. My brother returned us home, seeking a means to restore me to human form. Those who wished to usurp our family’s reign claimed that Henrik murdered me and concocted a fantastical tale to claim the throne for himself. We both had to flee the country until I could be restored. My faithful brother knew I could not survive a winter near our native land, so he brought me here, cared for me, and secured service with Your Majesty.”

“That does not explain why you committed this treachery against my daughter.”

Lady Naveen interrupted. “Breaking a curse, such as this one your Majesty, varies depending on who casts the spell. It appears the fae intended to sow additional harm to Rikenvatten by requiring an outburst of royal anger to break this curse.”

Frederik nodded and continued. “We meant no harm to Your Highness, your family, or your empire. We believed many times that the curse was about to be broken. I alone entered your daughter’s chamber in a desperate attempt to anger her. My brother was too late to stop me.” Frederik bowed before the Emperor. “I humbly beg your forgiveness, Your Majesty. We only request that you allow us passage that we may return to our family in Rikenvatten and clear my brother of the false murder charges.”

Jing whimpered. Her eyes met with Henrik’s, and they shared a long gaze.  
The emperor pointed to the princess. “You think I could so easily forgive you when my daughter is in such a state?”

“No, Father,” Jing said. “That is not what I meant. Please do not harm them.” She pointed at Henrik. “I . . . I love him.”

The emperor stared at his daughter. “He tends the horses. How could you fall in love with a servant?”

“He’s a prince from a foreign land,” Jing said.

The Emperor’s eyes narrowed at his daughter. “Did you know?”

“No,” Jing looked at Henrik. “He never told me who he was, but there always was something more about him that I could not ignore.”

Henrik stepped forward. “If it pleases Your Majesty, may I speak?”

The emperor slumped back. “This is madness.” He waved his hand granting permission.

“We are truly sorry for the harm and distress that we have caused. I hid this from Your Majesty and Highnesses so that those who sought our demise would not hear rumors of our location and put your subjects in danger if they followed us here. Our kingdom is in peril from those who would destroy our family. It is imperative that we leave and restore my brother’s claim to the throne.”

Henrik turned to Jing. “I am sorry that I could never tell you who I was. Your kindness sustained me through this trial. If my kingdom were not in peril, I would ask your father for your hand.” Henrik stared deeply into the eyes he had long cherished. “I love you, Jing.”

Jing clasped her hands to her mouth and laughed through new tears. She cautiously looked at both of her parents and then leaped from her throne. Henrik almost lost his footing as she threw her arms around his neck. “I will come with you.”

“You will do no such thing!” bellowed the emperor.

The empress reached out and placed her hand on the emperor’s. With the faintest touch, his protest was silenced.

Henrik, still in chains, moved so that he could look into Jing’s eyes. “Your father is right. You must stay here.”

“I don’t care,” she whispered.

“I care.”

“Will you ever return?”

“Henrik the horse master needs to leave. But I will return as Prince Henrik of Rikenvatten and court you properly.”

“I don’t care what you’re called. Just promise you’ll come back to me.”

“I promise.”

THE END


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